he rang a couple of days back...late at night...they'd just found out..joy call...

so...........if you're in town....do visit

am simply tickled pink for them all...it's a fascinating kitchen...have visited it the once..

was lucky enough to also visit the mg garage kitchen years back...the year it was announced as restaurant of the year...will never ever ever ever forget talking with Yanni Kyritsis on an oh so busy Friday evening..I'd said to our waiter 'I'd kill to get in to the kitchen.' With a smile he said " I'll see what I can do."...minute later...Yanni said to come in...

I was beside myself with joy...telling him..thank you thank you...and sort of suggesting I might just stay and watch for a few seconds...oh no..not on your life...he said since I was interested I could stay...we chatted..I asked him if he was to be a food what would it be...wild greens on the hills of Greece...and later he added pomegranate...

I watched in amazement at the working of that kitchen...and when I thought the experience couldn't get any better...off he took me to the dessert station...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I told him my son was interested in cooking...immediately "Tell him to come in"....son was in the middle of the final exams in high school...Janni gave me his card.."Tell him to give me a ring on Sunday."..later he joined us at our table...later our waiter gave me a bag..'This is from Janni for your son.'...his signature chocolate wonder...gold leaf atop..

upshot?

Andy went in for a day...I picked him up that night...he with the news that Yanni had asked him back for the week...he adored the experience...as did I in a way can remember dropping in one day with a container of my beloved mother in law's rum ball mixture..soooooo smooth...no longer did I roll them...simply made the mix and folk scooped it out with a spoon..or knife..very rich...I brought some to mg for the staff to share..Yanni and I spoke about shared food...he said he likes when cutlery meets..the sound of shared...golly golly golly gosh I adore the language of food and drink...speaks to my BEing methinks..

one never ever knows what's around that corner..._________________"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

Hmm, just to think... what if... what if you and Yanni had not met... all of these wonderful achievements because the right mum met the right chef in the right place at the right time... and now Andy is well on the way.

Congratulations to Andy and to Quay... and to Yanni and Madame whose one wonderful moment started something._________________Confusion comes fitted as standard.

Andy recently gifted me with some Andrew-made salami 'n Andrew-made muesli..."The flavour that might be new for you is the ('n I've forgotten the two adjectives! ) mandarin peel."

Last weekend we were at wondrous sister-in-law Rosemarie's table (everyone should experience that once in a lifetime!) with Andy and his partner Clara...beloved Clara ...she handed me the latest Gourmet Traveller Wine Guide..with a smile by the way...well of course I turned to Bistrode..'n there it was..her name alongside Jeremy Strode's ...she and Jeremy worked together on the wine list..

"In 2002 Jeremy headed to Sydney to become chef director of MG Garage."!!!!!

Clara truly loves her work there...speaks glowingly of the two Js..
so all in all...the past week has been rather up there in the cloudsish for me...further clinking ...care to join me?

thanks for the messages...they are icing on the cake..

a clip from The Australian paper:
"THE stars of Australia's fine-dining firmament were out and shining last night to hear Peter Gilmore's Quay named Restaurant of the Year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller 2009 Restaurant Guide Awards.

Three-star chefs Neil Perry, Tetsuya Wakuda and Guillaume Brahimi - not to mention Sydneysider Gilmore himself - were among those who swapped aprons for finer threads and made their way to Sydney's Wharf Restaurant for one of the hospitality industry's biggest nights.

Gourmet Traveller editor Anthea Loucas said Gilmore had taken his work to "a whole new level of finesse".

"It's really come together for Peter in the last 12 months," she said. "He's innovative but it's not forced.

"He's really hitting his straps.""_________________"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

What fabulous news! Congratulations to Andrew, and to his wonderful Mum and Dad (without whom he would not be here ).

Now trying to think if I can squeeze in a meal there while in Sydney..... so many things to do - so little time. sigh.

gros bisous Madame et Sieg, see you soon!_________________If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

another phone call from Andy, rather late at night...they'd just heard Quay won another top award..this time the SMH Good Food Guide..restaurant of the year...methinks they've done some serious celebrating!!!!